DEMOLITION LOVERS

Kill the Party With Me

Fun hadn't been able to sleep that night.

Party and Grace slept peacefully next to him. His husband with his mouth open and drooling, his bright red hair covering his face. Fun missed that view.

But he was also going to miss this.

The comfort they had found in that little house in the middle of nowhere. Their safety. Their simple family life. Going to work, and coming home to Party playing with Grace, and having dinner with his family, and playing outside.

But Danny was right. Or Dr. Death Defying, whatever was his name.

They were supposed to help people.

And while he knew that, it wasn't easy to let go.

He hadn't been this happy in the longest time. This was the life he always dreamed about. How could he let it go, just like that?

Unable to turn off his brain, he got up from bed, and went downstairs. He found his cigarettes on the kitchen table, and walked outside. He needed some fresh air.

He wished he still had his dad. He knew that he would know what to do. You know what's right, kid, he would say. Fuck, he missed him so much.

'Hey,' he heard, and almost jumped off where he was sitting. When he looked up, he saw Party, wearing the shortest shorts – that he was sure were his – and a big, dirty shirt. 'What are you doing here this late?' He wasn't even awake.

'I couldn't sleep. I needed a cigarette.'

Party sat next to him and put an arm around him, nuzzling on his neck. 'We'll be okay,' he said, catching Fun Ghoul off guard.

'I know – it's just – I'm gonna miss this.'

'Me too.' They stayed in silence for a while, just enjoying each other's presence. 'I know it's hard, babe. And I know you just want the best for Grace. But I think it's time.'

'I know.'

Party looked up at him. 'Someone told me once, that if you don't change the world, the world will change you.' Fun tried not to tear up. 'It was you, idiot. You told me that. You said that you wanted to leave your mark in the world so life wouldn't feel meaningless.'

Fun was about to say that life wasn't meaningless when he was with him, but Party stopped him before he even said it.

'I know what you're gonna say. But we both know Dr. D is right. We need to change the world.'

'Why are you always so right?'

'I don't know – it's a talent.' He leaned in to kiss Fun, his warmth taking over him.

Neither of them said anything else, and just shared another cigarette. Then Fun broke the silence. 'Would you get mad if I tell you I found about Danny a couple days ago?'

'What?' the red haired man said, pushing him jokingly. 'You knew he was Dr. D and didn't tell me?! We're supposed to be married! You have to tell me everything!'

'I'm sorry,' he laughed. 'I just I didn't know how to bring it up. And I knew you'd get excited and you'd go to his house and ask questions, and I hadn't told him I knew!'

'Okay – only because you're right. I would totally go to his house.' He paused. 'So what did you do over at his place then?'

'He made me classify all his albums, and organize some shit.'

'Sounds fun.'

'It was. I would play all these albums in the meantime. You know how long it'd been since I last heard the Misfits?' Party couldn't help smiling at his face while he told him about all the different albums he listened to. 'And all the time, I wished you were there, and we could listen to music, and smoking together.'

'Oh really? We totally should.'

'We should.' Fun kissed him, and the thought of them sharing a cigarette while listening to his favorite records made him almost cry. What if they had met in a different situation, if they could have a normal life, and be a normal couple? If none of this was happening. Would it have worked?

He told him about how all those songs brought memories from his childhood, back before the wars, when music wasn't banned. He told him about his dad being a musician, and that he wanted to be a musician too. How his had been taken by BLI when he didn't obey the rules and played a concert with his friends, and he never heard from him again.

'I'm so sorry,' Party said, and put his arms around him.

'When I was a kid, I hated that he had to die because he didn't follow the rules. I thought it was easy, he just had to do what he was told. But now I understand,' he said, crying. 'And I wanna do this for him. This is exactly what he would like me to do. Because life is meaningless without music.'

'I love you,' he said. 'And I'm sure your dad would be proud of you.'

'You think so?'

'Absolutely.' He paused, taking the younger man's hand. The sun was starting to rise in front of them, and it was the best view. 'Can you sing for me?'

Fun laughed. 'I don't sing.'

'Don't even try to lie. I've heard you sing to Grace.'

He was right. So he sang the song he sang to her sometimes before bed, the same one his own dad used to play for him when he was a kid.

You are my sunshine, my only sunshine
You make me happy when skies are gray
You'll never know dear, how much I love you
Please don't take my sunshine away

***

The next morning they all went to Danny's house, where he was supposed to show them his plan. But they all seemed too distracted by his large collection of records, so Danny gave them some time to look at them, and listen to some music, before lunch.

Kobra Kid chose a random album from a pile, and put it on the record player. The beats of an 80's song playing through the speakers, and they all started to dance as if it was the first time they'd ever listened to music.

I think we're alone now,
There doesn't seem to be anyone around
I think we're alone now,
The beating of our hearts is the only sound

Maddie brought pancakes from work, and while they ate, Danny explained what the situation was. BLI was taking over the zones, exterminating everyone they found in the desert. And with no leaders to follow, or a purpose, more people chose to join their forces, in fear of being exterminated.

'Shit, it's bad,' Jet Star said.

'I know. And with you gone, they have no hope of things getting better.'

'So what are we doing?' Fun asked.

'Well, that's the thing. I can tell them you're alive. Just say someone saw a familiar face wearing the iconic yellow mask, or they got a glimpse of the Trans Am. Or you could go big and make an apparition. A statement for everyone that you're back and you plan on destroying BLI and everything they stand for.' Dr. Death paused. 'So what's it going to be?'

They all looked at each other, a smirk showing up on their faces.

'Big statement,' they said in unison.